177 Victoria Street West, Pukekohe
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pukekohe Playcentre provides a parent-led early childhood education and care service, operating five mornings a week for children from birth to school age. The centre is licensed for 30 children with a maximum of 15 under two years of age. The current roll is 57 children and 13 are identified as Māori.
The playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association (CPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) and the CPA provide governance oversight for the centre. This includes strategic direction, management support, documentation and adult education programmes. In addition, the centre receives regular visits from experienced personnel who offer advice guidance and support to centre members. The NZPF is currently undergoing restructuring, and this has implications for CPA governance actions in the future.
The playcentre philosophy aims to affirm and support parents as the first and best educators of their children. Parents learn with and alongside their children who are empowered to initiate their own learning.
Members have responded positively to recommendations in the 2013 ERO report. Increased publicity has ensured the roll has been maintained, and ongoing adult training has supported session evaluation, programme planning and an awareness of bicultural practice. In addition, there is an increased use of online communication with parents and the community, and a new playground has been designed.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association
Members have established respectful and affirming relationships amongst families/whānau and children. They provide caring and nurturing support for their own and other children. Experienced members model good practice and positively guide children’s behaviour. Parents listen carefully to children’s ideas and opinions, and plan and prepare an attractive, well-thought out, child-centred environment. Members are fostering a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging for children and their families.
Routines for very young children are highly responsive to their rhythm and care needs, including breastfeeding. Infants benefit from a well-designed quiet and safe area for play, and appropriate care facilities. Some tuakana-teina practices are evident, with older children showing considerate and supportive behaviour for younger siblings.
Children benefit from learning with and alongside their parents. This affirms their language, culture and identity, and provides continuity of learning. Members bring a wide range of interests and professional knowledge to enrich the learning programme for children. A feature of the playcentre is that children of all ages have ongoing access to high quality and plentiful equipment in 16 areas of play. Sustained periods of uninterrupted play are thoughtfully combined with shared routines to provide children and adults with meaningful opportunities for social interactions. Children with additional identified needs are well included and the centre works positively with appropriate external and specialist support. Transitions into the centre are well planned and effectively managed, and contribute to the settled environment.
Clear assessment, planning and evaluation cycles are informed by emergent interests and children’s identified strengths, and are evident in centre displays, profile books and operational documents. Individual profiles reflect the enthusiasm and interest parents have in documenting their children’s learning and development. There is need to review the learning opportunities in each area of play, and to extend and add complexity for older children. Increasing the integration of literacy, mathematics and science language and concepts, in play should lead to improved learning outcomes for children.
Dedicated and cooperative leadership is empowering members and contributing to centre sustainability. Current centre leaders are well informed, and provide positive support and clear documentation for roles and responsibilities, especially at times of transition. New parents are warmly welcomed, and encouraged to engage in playcentre adult education courses. This contributes to children’s learning.
Māori children and their whānau benefit from participating in an inclusive family-based service. Leaders are yet to take a planned approach to implementing the CPA Tiriti o Waitangi policy and the intent of the Ministry of Education document Ka Hikitia, Accelerating Māori Success. It is important for centre leaders to continue building the knowledge and confidence of members at higher levels of playcentre adult training, which is likely to strengthen the empowerment of children to lead their own learning through play.
CPA provides governance oversight to the members of Pukekohe Playcentre, including finance for special approved projects. A liaison officer and equipment team, provide oversight and guidance for centre members. While CPA has an appropriate Tirirti o Waitangi policy, their bicultural advisory committee is not currently functioning. This results in minimal support in te ao Māori for centre members. Strengthening CPA support for centres is likely to result in more effective self-review and quality-assurance processes, leading to improved education and care outcomes for children and their parents.
As identified in the 2013 ERO report, there remains a need to strengthen the quality of support provided by CPA, through their Liaison Officers and Centre Support workers, as they visit centre members. This should include:
documented feedback to centres aligned with Ministry of Education and CPA expectations and requirements (need to sight job descriptions for LO and CSW, and paid staff appraisals)
specific guidance on self review
revitalised centre support in the area of bicultural practice.
ERO recommends that CPA:
develops strategies to ensure that its centre members are kept up-to-date with obligations and expectations in relation to current regulatory requirements and policies.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pukekohe Playcentre completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management and health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
[Education (early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008: GMA 7]
The next ERO review of Pukekohe Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
30 June 2017
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
|
Location |
Pukekohe |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25212 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
57 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 29 Boys 28 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
13 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2017 |
|
|
Date of this report |
30 June 2017 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
December 2013 |
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
|
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pukekohe Playcentre is one of seventeen centres in the Counties Playcentre Association, which provides a management and policy framework for centre operations. Liaison workers and other elected association officers provide support for centres. Association members deliver the Playcentre adult education programme to help whānau build their understanding about children’s learning.
The playcentre is located in a semi-rural area of Pukekohe and offers five sessions per week for children from birth to five years old. A high percentage of centre members are undertaking playcentre training. This provides members with a good knowledge of children’s learning and development and ways to promote positive outcomes for children.
The playcentre philosophy of whānau and children learning together underpins centre operations. The centre has recently re-opened its Monday session.
This review was part of a cluster of eight playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
Children benefit from an attractive and well thought out child-centred environment. Children access resources confidently and enjoy cooperative and independent play. Provision for infants and toddlers has been a development priority for members and good use is made of the space developed to cater for infants’ exploration and play. Adults work alongside children to support their engagement.
The environment is welcoming and inclusive for families from all cultural backgrounds. Parents support each other in their parenting and educating roles and willingly sharing their expertise and knowledge with new parents. Portfolios are well displayed for parents and children to revisit and celebrate learning. Buddy systems help newer parents to confidently contribute to the positive learning environment for children.
Self review has been an increasing focus for the centre. Members have developed review practices and systems to better consider outcomes for children. They make good use of association procedures and policies to ensure the centre meets relicensing requirements. Members’ commitment to improving self review has resulted in an increased ability to meet the needs of children who require extra support, especially in the under two area.
The centre is efficiently led by the centre president who works in collaboration with members to effectively manage the centre. Strategic planning supports centre members to make relevant improvements.
Since the 2010 ERO review, there have been significant developments in implementing a bicultural curriculum. Waiata and the promotion of te reo Māori in the environment have been improved.
Association management practices are well established. Self review involves centre members, and contributes to decision making. A strategic review is currently underway, with a view to streamlining Association systems and practices and making them more manageable for Playcentre members. This review could also consider how the Association can provide earlier, more focused support for centres that are facing challenges. Liaison workers should consider ways to help centres establish more effective strategic and annual planning, and strengthen self review practices. Monitoring and supporting the quality of programmes in centres should be a more central aspect of the liaison worker role.
Centre members and ERO agree that the key next steps for the playcentre include:
As a result of this cluster of reviews, ERO recommends that the Counties Playcentre Association access support from the Ministry of Education and the NZ Playcentre Federation to refine the Association’s structure, systems and practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pukekohe Playcentre completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Pukekohe Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
9 December 2013
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
|
Location |
Pukekohe, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25212 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
65 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 35 Boys 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Cook Island Danish Indian Korean Samoan Samoan/Indian |
7 46 4 2 2 2 1 1 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
9 December 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
January 2004 |
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.